Ian Davis
The perfect balance of muscle effort and relaxation is what inspires Ian in yoga. The fact that you start from where you are, regardless of the state of your body or mind. Movement and breath, focus and strength. To come out of the class feeling fantastic; alive and energised. To have worked hard, sweated even, but to leave with more energy than when you came in.
Ian started teaching after completing Ashtanga teacher training with David Swenson more than seven years ago and has since qualified with both the British Wheel of Yoga and Yoga Alliance. He teaches because he loves it.
Roberta Jesson
Roberta (Bertie) has practiced yoga for 11 years, in London, New York and now Cheltenham. She qualified as a yoga teacher 4 years ago with the British Wheel of Yoga and while her approach to yoga is predominantly from an anatomical and physiological perspective she believes that yoga is about mastering the breath through various pranayama techniques. She is conscious that each student needs to work within the individual structure of his or her body to stretch the muscles and strengthen the core using the breath, while protecting the joints. Bertie has studied various yoga approaches and yogic philosophy combining and adding elements to create her own interpretation of the yoga asanas. She teaches Power Yoga (an Ashtanga-based style popular in New York) and Hatha, encouraging and challenging students from complete beginners to those who already have a strong practice.
Tanya Carter
Tanya Carter has been teaching yoga for seven years, and practising for over twenty. She first trained in India in the Ashtanga style, then went on to further her training in Pregnancy and Post-natal yoga. She trained with Uma Dinsmore Tuli who created the Pregnancy yoga module for the British Wheel of Yoga and who teaches worldwide. Tanya’s classes are dedicated to helping women keep in touch with their bodies during and after pregnancy, helping them to have as natural a childbirth as possible and regain their strength afterwards. Her classes are fun and light-hearted, learning to be flexible in both body and mind. Tanya’s knowledge and experience are invaluable in helping women at these important times. 'My hope is that through being with mums on their journey through pregnancy, childbirth and beyond, together with yoga, we can create a better humanity and world for our children to live in'.
Pascale Gysi
Pascale is an accredited BWY and Yoga Alliance teacher. Her own method of practice and teaching has evolved over the years to a fusion of several Hatha yoga styles. She emphasises breath and thoughtfulness, and uses metaphor and philosophy in her class, leading students in a flowing, creative style through their practice to strengthen the body, stretch the mind and open the heart. Since 2010 Pascale has also been strongly involved with the Maggie's Cancer Caring Centre in Cheltenham where she teaches Gentle Yoga for Wellbeing for people whose lives are affected by cancer.
Monika Becker
Monika practised Hatha, Ashtanga, Sivananda and Vinyasa Flow before discovering Iyengar Yoga while living in Sydney, Australia. She found that BKS Iyengar's approach appealed to her for its effectiveness, variety and depth. Back in the UK, she completed the rigorous introductory level 2 teacher training with Kirsten and Richard Agar-Ward in October 2011. Her interest in yoga has taken her to India twice to deepen her own practice, learn about Ayurveda and indian philosophy. Monika left her career as a landscape architect to follow her passion; now working full-time as a yoga teacher and massage therapist. She finds inspiration, compassion and understanding for teaching yoga to others is deepened by her work as a massage therapist and her own yoga practice.
Julia Frearson
Julia is a trainee yoga teacher working towards her diploma with Yogacampus at The Life Centre in London. She is a popular cover teacher at the studio and also offers workshops. She undertook an immersion Ashtanga course with David Swenson in 2010, a week long intensive in the Primary Series. She finds that the philosophy of yoga and its Buddhist underpinnings reflect her approach of mindfulness, self-awareness and compassion, and support her work as a clinical psychologist working with those with learning disabilities.